It would appear that CM Punk is not retiring at 0-1.
Given how very unsuccessful his MMA debut turned out to be, few would have blamed the former WWE superstar if he’d decided to hang up his gloves and write his UFC experiment off as one massive mistake.
Punk (real name Phil Brooks) stepped into the Octagon last September as a 37-year-old novice almost two years after it was announced that he’d signed a multi-fight contract with the UFC.
He lasted 134 seconds against Mickey Gall before submitting to a rear naked choke and was forced to question whether professional fighting was really something he wanted to pursue.
Check out the skills on Shane O'Mac https://t.co/965FvhmAPb
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) April 5, 2017
But Punk seemed to dig his heels in and insisted he would return.
“I just like to take challenges,” he said after his defeat. “It was a hell of a mountain to try to climb and I didn’t get to the summit today, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop. I will be back, believe it or not.”
Working on it. Training and dealing with a lower body thing at the moment. https://t.co/4d5SFYaB6b
— player/coach (@CMPunk) April 19, 2017
In January, the ex-wrestler insisted that wheels were in motion to get his second Octagon outing booked.
“I am working on it feverishly,” Punk told Fox Sports. “I’m throwing names at Dana (White), opponents, dates. I don’t know if he’s waiting for a Chicago show or what the deal is but if it doesn’t happen in the UFC, it will happen somewhere else.
“I’m dedicated to fighting and training. We’ll get there.”
Monday saw the biggest hint yet that the Rener Gracie-trained Punk would indeed be getting a second chance at MMA glory as his striking coach, Duke Roufus, posted a photograph of his fighters’ records in 2017.
Along with the fight records were upcoming dates, including Sergio Pettis’ clash with Brandon Moreno and Emmanuel Sanchez’s Bellator date with Daniel Straus.
But the most glaring line of all was the third one down, as “CM Punk vs. TBA” was printed in black and white.
There has been no word from the UFC that Punk will indeed be fighting again under their banner and there have also been no suggested opponents as of yet.
But, for the 38-year-old’s health, we hope he’s matched up against an opponent who is far less dangerous than Gall because nobody wants to see another train wreck.
